Rabbi Israel Shulman,

head rabbi of the Savanah, Georgia

Temple Beth-El

was ancient.

He had officiated at the Bar and Bat Mitsphas

of the now elderly senior members

of the Executive Committee of the Temple

and that committee was at the center

of the on-going debate over

when old Rabbi Shulman

should “go”.

Each episode of the debate always ended

in a call for “Respect!”

and the determination to,

“Let the Rabbi decide his own time!”

The Rabbi had on his staff

two younger assistant Rabbis.

The 32 year old Rabbi Eric Kleinman,

thought to be slightly sarcastic for a rabbi

and still too wet behind the ears

to lead the congregation.

He was, however , loved

by the young members of the congregation.

He answered to and was watched over by

54 year old Rabbi Solomon Roth,

who knew how to bide his time.

One Shabboth, Rabbi Shulman stood at….

well… rather, leaned on the podium,

reading the Torah selection,

his yad sometimes running ahead

of his weakening eye sight,

blurring his reading,

The impatient Rabbi Kleinman stood up

as unobtrusively as he could not be,

came up behind Rabbi Shulman’s right ear

and offered his reading glasses,

a pair of purple and pink bifocals

to the old rabbi,

calling them his “cheaters”.

“Cheaters!” gasped Rabbi Shulman

as he launched into an immediate, angry tirade.

“Cheaters!! I should read the Holy Words

from our Holy Books

with a thing called “Cheaters!

Why would I cheat

Baruch Adonoi Elohim

in such a way?”

He stuffed the glasses back into

Rabbi Kleinmans suit jacket pocket

and stared at the stunned junior Rabbi,

who could say nothing.

After an awkward moment or two,

Rabbi Roth rose from his chair,

smiling apologetically to the congregation,

and whispered to Rabbi Shulman

who still stood before the microphone on the podium.

“Rabbi Shulman,” Rabbi Roth said,

the sound system sending his whisper

to everyone in the sanctuary,

“I think his was an unfortunate choice of word.

I have my new reading glasses in my pocket.

My opthomologist, a very knowledgable man

prescribed them for me.

I bought one pair for myself

and another pair, a bit stronger, perhaps,

for you, if you should desire to use them.

My doctor, Doctor Feldman,

you’ve heard of him, I’m sure?

(Rabbi Shulman nodded in affirmation)

Rabbi Roth continued.

“Doctor Feldman Calls them,

Magnifiers!”

He carefully placed the second pair on

Rabbi Shulamn’s nose and behind his ears

and pointed to the words Shulman had been stumbling over.

The old rabbi, seeing the words more clearly

than he had in decades,

gasped in happy, holy surprise!

He shouted, “We shall Magnify the Words of God

before the congregation!”

He continued his reading,

finished his Shabboth homily,

turned back to his chair,

smiled at Rabbi Roth

but not at Rabbi Kleinman,

patted Roth on the shoulder,

placed his trembling hands on Roth head,

holding them there, smiling,

then sat down in his center chair,

to mediate.

A happy sigh rose from the riveted congregation.

The members of the Executive Committee

stole fleeting glances at each other,

smiling as one smiles in relief

when a disturbing moment passes.

They’d seen the decision made

by a pat on the shoulder

and a head held in blessing

by a man who now could clearly see

what he was always meant to do.

Omein!